


Part 1: the way of a serpent upon a rock

by batyatoon



Series: Three Things and Four [1]
Category: Tanakh, Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-19
Updated: 2013-02-19
Packaged: 2017-11-29 19:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/690539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batyatoon/pseuds/batyatoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>History and folklore, and the telling of stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Part 1: the way of a serpent upon a rock

**Author's Note:**

  * For [the_ragnarok](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_ragnarok/gifts).



> You asked for worldbuilding, and ... I think I may have gone a little farther afield than you had in mind. Aheh. Oops?

When the delegation from Sheba came within sight of the city, Shelomo-the-king had cause to take pride in his people's courage: there was running and shouting in the streets, and wildly spreading rumors, but no general panic. And indeed panic could have been forgiven at the sight of the vast animal that carried the queen and her closest attendants, overtopping the elephant as the elephant does the goat, scaled like the lizard and winged like the bat -- though it came walking rather than flying, picking its way down the broad road to the palace gates as delicately as the wading-bird. A column of Shebans marched to either side of it, looking like colorful ants at this distance, dark against the creature's brilliant blue-green scales; a long string of mules and camels came following, bearing packs and riders.

As the procession came closer Shelomo could see, watching from a high palace window, how the beast looked side to side to see the people gathered by the road to watch them come in, and then raised its head to look toward the palace and the city. It wore elaborate harness, not unlike that of his own royal horses, but he could see no means of steering or spurring it; well-trained, then, and intelligent as the best horses are, to need no more guidance than its master's voice or hand.

Even as the thought crossed his mind, a figure on the creature's back leaned forward as though to illustrate by murmuring to it (or shouting, for all he could tell). Blue lids drooped to briefly veil its golden eyes, and an expression crossed that vast face ... and for a startling moment Shelomo felt certain that the beast was laughing.

\-----

"Oh, he's watching us now," Nakuti replied with amusement, under her breath -- which meant her words could be heard over the noise of the thronged Israelites, but just barely; more felt through her scaled shoulders. "Do you see the window up there, the highest one?"

"Of course he's watching, Aunt," Maqueda said back; she couldn't hear her own voice, but knew Nakuti would. "I'd do the same. So would Grandfather, when he was king. What do you see?"

"Your grandfather would approve," Nakuti said, after a moment. "That merchant told us the truth: this Suleman is a king who thinks."

Maqueda smiled. "We'll see."

  
  
"Maqueda, Queen of Sheba"

\-----

_"The Mahommedans tell such stories as well, you know. About Suleiman-bin-Daoud and the lovely Queen Balqis." He's studying the illuminated book lying open on its table in her father's sitting room; the rich colors are subdued in the dim light, but the rendering of two figures, the king on his throne and the queen standing before him, is still clear._

_"Our stories don't give her a name," she tells him. "Just 'the Queen of Sheba.' When I was a little girl I used to think Sheba was her name, and not her country's."_

_He smiles at that, the faintest crook of the mouth. Thunder rattles the sitting-room window beside him, and he looks out into the torrents of rain punishing the air; the afternoon is already so dark as to look like evening, and the far side of the street is barely to be seen._

_"Stop that," she says, gently. "You know you can't travel in this storm."_

_"No," he agrees, very quiet. "Or I should be gone by now."_

_"I'm glad you stayed."_

_His eyes flick toward hers; she holds his gaze steadily. He is the one who first looks away again, saying lightly "Come, tell another. What befell when they met, Solomon and the Queen?"_

_She takes up the dropped thread of the story easily, and speaks on...._

**Author's Note:**

> "Maqueda, Queen of Sheba": Image from Shutterstock, copyright [Jin Yong](http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-83276p1.html), edited by author using ArcSoft PhotoStudio.


End file.
